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ramp, small white leek, wild leek

Howell's onion

Bulbs

2–6, usually borne on short rhizome, ovoid-conic, 1.5–6 × 1.5–3 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brownish to grayish, reticulate, cells finely fibrous;

inner coat white, obscurely cellular, cells irregularly arranged.

usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.9–1.7 × 0.8–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulb, dark reddish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats light brown to white, cells obscure, quadrate.

Leaves

ephemeral, usually absent at anthesis, 2–3, basal;

blade solid, flat, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, (15–)20–30(–40) cm × 15–90 mm, tapering to long, slender petiole, margins entire.

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, terete, 20–55 cm × 1–4 mm.

Scape

persistent, solitary, flexuous distally, terete, 10–40 cm × 2–4 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–60 cm × 1–3.5 mm.

Umbel

persistent, erect, loose, (6–)30–50-flowered, obconic to ± hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, ± 3-veined, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex acute, beakless.

persistent, erect, compact, 15–100-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–4, 5–8-veined, lanceolate to broadly ovate, ± equal, apex mucronate to acuminate or long-acuminate.

Flowers

campanulate, 4–7 mm;

tepals erect, white to cream or yellowish, oblong to ovate, ± equal, not withering in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens ± equaling tepals;

anthers white to light yellow;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style included, linear, shorter than stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20 mm.

stellate to ± campanulate, 5–8 mm;

tepals spreading to ± erect, white to pink or pale lavender with darker midveins, ovate to oblong, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens ± equaling tepals to long-exserted;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins ± irregularly denticulate to laciniate;

style linear, equaling stamens or longer;

stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved;

pedicel 6–25 mm.

Seed

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

Allium tricoccum

Allium howellii

Distribution
from USDA
e North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Bulbs mostly 4–6 cm; leaf blades (3–)5–9 cm wide; spathe bracts 2–3 cm; umbel (15–)30–50-flowered.
var. tricoccum
1. Bulbs 2–4(–5) cm; leaf blades (1.5–)2–4(–4.5) cm wide; spathe bracts 1–2 cm; umbel (6–)12–18 (–24)-flowered.
var. burdickii
1. Scape 15–25(–35) cm; umbels generally 15–30 (–50)-flowered; tepals usually white to pink or lavender; ovary crests purple in fresh specimens.
var. howellii
1. Scape 20–60 cm; umbels generally 25–100-flowered; tepals usually white or pale pink; ovary crests white or greenish in fresh specimens.
→ 2
2. Stamens exserted, 2–4 mm.
var. sanbenitense
2. Stamens ± equaling tepals.
var. clokeyi
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 234. FNA vol. 26, p. 250.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Allium Liliaceae > Allium
Sibling taxa
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. amplectens, A. anceps, A. atrorubens, A. bigelovii, A. bisceptrum, A. bolanderi, A. brandegeei, A. brevistylum, A. burlewii, A. campanulatum, A. canadense, A. cepa, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, A. dichlamydeum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. drummondii, A. elmendorfii, A. falcifolium, A. fibrillum, A. fimbriatum, A. fistulosum, A. geyeri, A. gooddingii, A. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. howellii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lacunosum, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, A. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, A. parvum, A. passeyi, A. peninsulare, A. perdulce, A. platycaule, A. plummerae, A. praecox, A. punctum, A. rhizomatum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, A. sharsmithiae, A. shevockii, A. simillimum, A. siskiyouense, A. speculae, A. stellatum, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. tribracteatum, A. triquetrum, A. tuberosum, A. tuolumnense, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. amplectens, A. anceps, A. atrorubens, A. bigelovii, A. bisceptrum, A. bolanderi, A. brandegeei, A. brevistylum, A. burlewii, A. campanulatum, A. canadense, A. cepa, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, A. dichlamydeum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. drummondii, A. elmendorfii, A. falcifolium, A. fibrillum, A. fimbriatum, A. fistulosum, A. geyeri, A. gooddingii, A. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lacunosum, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, A. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, A. parvum, A. passeyi, A. peninsulare, A. perdulce, A. platycaule, A. plummerae, A. praecox, A. punctum, A. rhizomatum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, A. sharsmithiae, A. shevockii, A. simillimum, A. siskiyouense, A. speculae, A. stellatum, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. tribracteatum, A. tricoccum, A. triquetrum, A. tuberosum, A. tuolumnense, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
Subordinate taxa
A. tricoccum var. burdickii, A. tricoccum var. tricoccum
A. howellii var. clokeyi, A. howellii var. howellii, A. howellii var. sanbenitense
Name authority Solander: in W. Aiton, Hort. Kew 1: 428. (1789) Eastwood: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 109. (1938)
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